In the 2024–2025 agricultural season, the Republic of Moldova exported a record volume of 558,784 tons of sunflower, marking a 4% increase compared to the previous season and exceeding the level recorded in the 2021–2022 season. The data comes from an analysis by economist Iurie Rija, Bani.MD reports.
However, this export surge occurred despite a weaker national harvest—only 614,000 tons were harvested, down from 758,400 tons in the 2023–2024. As a result, over 91% of national production was exported as raw material, reflecting a growing trend that highlights the declining competitiveness of Moldova’s domestic processing industry. In contrast, the export share was only 70% in the previous season.
Prices and Export Value
The price of sunflower showed a slight recovery, averaging 9.81 lei/kg, a 21% increase from the previous season (8.09 lei/kg), though still below historical highs. The total export value reached 5.48 billion lei, up 25.8% from 4.36 billion lei in 2023–2024.
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Top Exporters (H1 2025)
- OROMIMEXPO SRL – 67,738 tons
- RUSAGRO-PRIM SRL – 53,941 tons
- AGROFLORIS-NORD SRL – 36,006 tons (increased due to reduced profitability in domestic processing)
- TransOil Refinery SRL, a traditional processor, exported only 7,810 tons, as high raw material prices and low crude oil prices squeezed margins.
Shifting Export Destinations
Turkey emerged as the largest buyer, importing 236,197 tons at an average price of 11.2 lei/kg, surpassing Romania, which had led from 2022 to 2024.
- Romania: 188,676 tons at 10.4 lei/kg
- Bulgaria: 92,874 tons at 10.7 lei/kg
- Other destinations included Greece, Poland, Serbia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Iraq, and the Netherlands, though in lower volumes.
Imports Drop Due to Licensing Restrictions
In the first half of 2025, Moldova imported only 3,400 tons of sunflower seeds, down from 4,000 tons during the same period in 2024. The decline followed the introduction of an import licensing system, which restricted imports to special seeds used for planting and for the snack and confectionery industries.
Top importers:
- System Capital Management SRL – 837 tons
- Vadalex Agro SRL – 441 tons
- Diazchim SRL, Bioprotect SRL, and Agrostoc CI – 90 to 270 tons each
Outlook for 2025–2026 Season
A stronger harvest is anticipated for the 2025–2026 season, with production expected to exceed 800,000 tons, supported by favorable agro-meteorological conditions.
- Estimated average yield: 2.0 tons/ha, above the five-year average
- Total area planted: approx. 414,000 hectares
However, regional disparities persist:
- Northern Moldova reports high yields of 2.5–3.0 t/ha
- Southern regions, affected by drought, yield only 0.8–1.5 t/ha
Economist’s Warning: Export Dependency Deepens
Economist Iurie Rija concludes that Moldova’s increasing reliance on raw sunflower exports, driven by an imbalance between high seed prices and low oil prices, is weakening the domestic processing sector. Without clear policy measures to support local processors, Moldova risks solidifying its role as an exporter of raw materials rather than a producer of value-added goods.